Best Music 🎶 of 2022!

[Bohnjaggs]

So here's my Q2 tap. I'm quite late to this because of the Covid infections my boyfriend and me had end of June/ start of July. I've tried to listen to as many albums as possible, but this time didn't get around to listen to everything, so if some of your favorites are missing the most likely is I didn't come around to check them out yet (but I will in the future). As usual the ranking is completely subjective and up to change. I include the last release week of March and leave out the last of June. I hope you may discover some albums you didn't know yet and enjoy them as much as I do.


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1. Florence + the Machine „Dance Fever“

2. Let's Eat Grandma „Two Ribbons“

3. Everything Everything „Raw Data Feel“

4. Leikeli47 „Shape Up“

5. Kendrick Lamar „Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers“


6. Foals „Life is yours“
7. Belle and Sebastian „A bit of previous“
8. Alec Benjamin „(Un)Commentary“
9. TV Priest „No other people“
10. Monophonics „Sage Motel“

11.The Smile „A light for Attracting Attention“
12. Sharon Van Etten „We've been going about this all wrong“
13. Bloc Party „Alpha Games“
14. Selah Sue „Persona“
15. Rammstein „Zeit“

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16. Fontaines D.C. „Skinty Fia“
17. Baby Strange „World Below“
18. Ethel Cain „Preacher's Daughter“
19. Placebo „Never let me go“
20. Wet Leg „Wet Leg“


21. Kehlani „Blue Water Road“
22. Max Cooper „Unspoken words“
23. Red Hot Chili Peppers „Unlimited love“
24. vory „Lost Souls“
25. Angel Olsen „All the good times“


26. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever „Endless Rooms“
27. Denzel Curry „Melt my eyez see your future“
28. Alice Merton „S.I.D.E.S.“
29. Sunflower Bean „Headful of sugar“
30. Jack White „Fear of the dawn“



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31. Ella Mai „Heart on my sleeve“
32. Mallrat „Butterfly Blue“
33. Liam Gallagher „C`MON YOU KNOW“
34. Praises „In this year: Hicrophant“
35. Kelly Lee Owens „LP.8“
36. Flor „Future Shine“
37. yaya bey „Remember your North Star“
38. The Regrettes „Further Joy“
39. obongjayar „Some Nights I Dream of Doors“
40. Alison Wonderland „loner“

41. Winona Oak „Island of the Sun“
42. Tove Styrke „HARD“
43. Moderat „MORE D4TA“
44. Aldous Harding „Warm Chris“
45. PUP „The Unraveling of PUPTHEBAND“
46. Vanessa Wagner „Study of the Invisible“
47. Drive-by Truckers „Welcome 2 Club XIII“
48. Soccer96 „Inner Worlds“
49. Alunah „Strange Machine“
50. Halestorm „Back from the dead“

Have you listened to The Weeknd or Amber Mark?

 

[Bluecloud777]

Have you listened to The Weeknd or Amber Mark?

Yes, Amber Mark's album did rank high in my Q1, I also got it on vinyl, sounds great. The new The Weeknd album didn't click really for me, but I'll give it another try later this year.

 

[musicjunkiegreg]

So I'm not sure how I missed this album from earlier in Q1 (or the band Soul Glo in general), but last night I just happened to stumble upon their album Diaspora Problems. Although surely this one won't be for everyone, after two listens through, this album absolutely kicks ass and has something to say! It will definitely be earning a spot on my AOTY list come year's end ️

 

[RowBearToe]

My first quarter list looks like this:

Favorites:
-The Weeknd - Dawn FM
-Maren Morris - Humble Quest
-Lady Wray - Piece of Me
-The Dip - Sticking With It
-The Lumineers - BRIGHTSIDE
-Khruangbin & Leon Bridges - Texas Moon
-St. Paul and the Broken Bones - The Alien Coast

Need to spend more time with:
-Amber Mark - Three Dimensions Deep
-Lucky Daye - Candy Drip
-Nigo - I know NIGO!

Most anticipated Q2 drops:
-Thomas Rhett - Where We Started (4/1)
-The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble - Step Down (4/1)
-Sofi Tukker - Wet Tennis (4/29)
-The Seratones - Love & Algorhythms (4/29)
-Trombone Shorty - Lifted (4/29)
-J.P. Bimeni & The Black Belts - Give Me Hope (4/30)
-Tank and the Bangas - Red Balloon (5/13)
-The Black Keys - Dropout Boogie (5/13)
-Monophonics - Sage Motel (5/13)
-Lizzo

Q2 update:
Favorites:
-Harry Styles ‐ Harry’s House
-St. Paul and the Broken Bones - The Alien Coast
-Pusha T - It’s Almost Dry
-Tate McRae - I Used To Think I Could Fly
-The Weeknd - Dawn FM
-Maren Morris - Humble Quest
-Lady Wray - Piece of Me
-The Dip - Sticking With It
-The Lumineers - BRIGHTSIDE
-Khruangbin & Leon Bridges - Texas Moon
-Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers

Enjoyed On First Listen But Need to Spend More Time With:
-The Black Keys - Dropout Boogie
-Monophonics - Sage Motel
-Lupe Fiasco - Drill Music in Zion
-Logic - Vinyl Days
-Amber Mark - Three Dimensions Deep

Most Anticipated Q3 Drops:
-Lizzo - Special
-Black Thought & Danger Mouse - Cheat Codes
-Son Little - Like Neptune

 

[nolalady]

I had forgotten about this one until I was looking through my bc purchases because I won’t have the physical until next month. I was finally able to sit and listen to this album and it is beautiful. I have to add this to my favorite albums from this year.

 

[musicjunkiegreg]

I had forgotten about this one until I was looking through my bc purchases because I won’t have the physical until next month. I was finally able to sit and listen to this album and it is beautiful. I have to add this to my favorite albums from this year.

Wait, I remember this being on one of my radar lists earlier in the year.. But I don't remember checking it out Thanks for the reminder!

 

[musicjunkiegreg]

When I put out my radar list for July 2022 at the beginning of the month, my expectations weren't too high. There were a few albums I was anticipating, but overall July was looking to be a very quiet month (even moreso than June, and June only found eight recommended albums from me).

Instead, July 2022 turned out to be one of the most bountiful months of the year for me, especially in the metal genres. 10 out of the 20 albums I've recommended from July are metal albums! 2022 is one of the best years for new metal (not nu-metal ) releases in recent memory, and July is by far the biggest contributing month. But, don't get me wrong, there were several non-metal albums that were fantastic as well!

Overall, the best part of July for me was discovering so many new or unfamiliar artists. The RBFs this month were off the charts! And I appreciate, as always, the recommendations I get from the fine folks here at N&G. Specifically this month I'd like to thank @Hollywood (recommended Nina Nastasia), @Rip_City (his rating of Caterina Barbieri prompted me to revisit the album), and @avecigrec (recommended Wu-Lu). I anticipate many of these albums finding a spot on my AOTY list at year's end, and a handful of them will likely place very high.

What were your favourite albums from July? What did I miss? Have you checked any of these out, and what did you think?

As always, #MusicIsSubjective

Spoiler: July List (Alphabetical Order by the Artist)

ALTARS - Ascetic Reflection (Death Metal)
Caterina Barbieri - Spirit Exit (Experimental Electronic, Ambient, Drone)
Chat Pile - God's Country (Sludge, Noise Rock)
 Conjurer - Páthos (Post-Metal, Sludge, Hardcore)
Giraffes? Giraffes! - Death Breath (Post-Rock, Math Rock)
Greylotus - Dawnfall (Progressive Death Metal, Deathcore)
Gwenno - Tresor (Experimental Electronic, Alternative, Ambient, Kernewek)
Inhuman Condition - Fearsick (Death Metal, Thrash Metal)
Katy J Pearson - Sound Of The Morning (Alternative)
Madeleine Cocolas - Spectral (Electronic, Ambient, Drone, Neoclassical)
Maul - Seraphic Punishment (Deathgrind, OSDM)
Meiko - Sorry I Missed You (Indie Folk Pop)
Metric - Formentera (Indie Rock, Synth Pop)
MICO - Zigurat (Grindcore, Blackened Death Metal, Hardcore)
Naima Bock - Giant Palm (Indie Folk, Alternative)
Nina Nastasia - Riderless Horse (Alternative, Gothic Folk)
Sedimentum - Suppuration Morphogénésiaque (Underground Death Metal)
Wake - Thought Form Descent (Deathgrind, Hardcore)
Wormrot - Hiss (Grindcore)
Wu-Lu -  LOGGERHEAD (Lo-fi Industrial/Experimental Hip-Hop, Punk)
/SPOILER]

 

[avecigrec]

Spoiler: The List

ALBUMS
Jasmine Myra - Horizons
Moor Mother - Jazz Codes
Beyonce - The Renaissance
Wu-Lu - Loggerhead
Tumi Mogorosi - Group Theory: Black Music
Kali Malone - Living Torch
Mark de Clive-Lowe - Freedom - Celebrating the Music of Pharoah Sanders
hinako omori - a journey with friends...
Doctor Bionic - Shape-Shifters

EPs
DJ Premier - Hip Hop 50: Vol. 1
Ill Considered - Dervish Remixed
Various - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Prologue

 

[musicjunkiegreg]

Not sure if there are any other Pilotredsun/Pilotredsky fans on here, but Pilotredsky just dropped a new EP last month.

 

[wokeupnew]

 

[musicjunkiegreg]

This album, five seconds flat, from singer-songwriter/pop artist Lizzy McAlpine dropped back in April, but I randomly came across her just today. I'm not sure if this album was mentioned here back when it dropped, but after one listen through I was pretty impressed. Tracks "doomsday" and "ceilings" were standouts for me.

 

[wokeupnew]

lots of very middling albums in this update

Best of 2022 mid-year update!:

Updates in bold

1. Beach House - Once Twice Melody
2. Yumi Zouma - Present Tense
3. Hatchie - Giving the World Away
4. Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There
5. Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You
6. Fontaines D.C. - Skinty Fia
7. Soccer Mommy - Sometimes, Forever
8. Angel Olsen - Big Time
9. Widowspeak - The Jacket
10. Alex Cameron - Oxy Music
11. Thyla - Thyla
12. Spiritualized - Everything Was Beautiful
13. Wet Leg - Wet Leg
14. Say Sue Me - The Last Thing Left
15. Spoon - Lucifer On The Sofa
16. Porridge Radio - Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky
17. caroline - caroline
18. Kikagaku Moyo - Kumoyo Island
19. Andrew Bird - Inside Problems
20. Belle and Sebastian - A Bit of Previous
21. Oceanator - Nothing's Ever Fine
22. Mitski - Laurel Hell
23. Gang of Youths - Angel in Realtime
24. Anaïs Mitchell - Anaïs Mitchell
25. Melody's Echo Chamber - Emotional Eternal
26. Day Wave - Pastlife
27. SASAMI - Squeeze
28. Pinegrove - 11:11
29. Perfume Genius - Ugly Season
30. Sound of Ceres - Emerald Sea
31. Band of Horses - Things are Great
32. Kevin Morby - This is a Photograph
33. Animal Collective - Time Skiffs
34. Wilco - Cruel Country
35. Wallows - Tell Me That It's Over
36. Horsegirl - Versions of Modern Performance
37. Empath - Visitor
38. The Smile - A Light For Attracting Attention
39. Arcade Fire - WE
40. Pup - The Unraveling of PUPTheBand

Anticipated albums from/Need more listens before deciding:

1. The Mountain Goats
2. Nils Frahm
3. Kiwi Jr.
4. Julia Jacklin
5. She & Him
6. beabadoobee
7. Momma
8. Alvvays
9. Dry Cleaning
10. Monster Rally

Best of 2022:

Updates in bold, Yumi Zouma finally takes the crown. I think that's my #1 just because I've been going back to that one more often than Beach House. If Beach House had released the entire album in 2022 then it's probably still top. The first half of that album reminds me too much of Early Winter 2021/22 so I don't really consider it as much of a 2022 album as the others.

1. Yumi Zouma - Present Tense
2. Beach House - Once Twice Melody
3. Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There
4. Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You
5. Hatchie - Giving the World Away
6. Fontaines D.C. - Skinty Fia
7. Angel Olsen - Big Time
8. Momma - Household Name
9. Soccer Mommy - Sometimes, Forever
10. Widowspeak - The Jacket
11. Alex Cameron - Oxy Music
12. Thyla - Thyla
13. Spiritualized - Everything Was Beautiful
14. Wet Leg - Wet Leg
15. Say Sue Me - The Last Thing Left
16. Sharon Van Etten - We've Been Going About This All Wrong
17. Spoon - Lucifer On The Sofa
18. Porridge Radio - Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky
19. caroline - caroline
20. Kikagaku Moyo - Kumoyo Island
21. Andrew Bird - Inside Problems
22. Belle and Sebastian - A Bit of Previous
23. Oceanator - Nothing's Ever Fine
24. Mitski - Laurel Hell
25. Metric - Formentera
26. Gang of Youths - Angel in Realtime
27. Anaïs Mitchell - Anaïs Mitchell
28. Melody's Echo Chamber - Emotional Eternal
29. Florist - Florist
30. Day Wave - Pastlife
31. beabadoobee - Beatopia
32. SASAMI - Squeeze
33. Pinegrove - 11:11
34. Perfume Genius - Ugly Season
35. Sound of Ceres - Emerald Sea
36. Band of Horses - Things are Great
37. Kevin Morby - This is a Photograph
38. Animal Collective - Time Skiffs
39. Wilco - Cruel Country
40. Wallows - Tell Me That It's Over
41. Horsegirl - Versions of Modern Performance
42. Empath - Visitor
43. The Smile - A Light For Attracting Attention
44. Arcade Fire - WE
45. Pup - The Unraveling of PUPTheBand

Anticipated albums from/Need more listens before deciding:

1. The Mountain Goats
2. Nils Frahm
3. Kiwi Jr.
4. Julia Jacklin
5. She & Him
6. Camp Cope
7. Beach Bunny
8. Alvvays
9. Dry Cleaning
10. Monster Rally

 

[Bennnnn]

Best of 2022:

Updates in bold, Yumi Zouma finally takes the crown. I think that's my #1 just because I've been going back to that one more often than Beach House. If Beach House had released the entire album in 2022 then it's probably still top. The first half of that album reminds me too much of Early Winter 2021/22 so I don't really consider it as much of a 2022 album as the others.

1. Yumi Zouma - Present Tense
2. Beach House - Once Twice Melody
3. Hatchie - Giving the World Away
4. Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There
5. Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You
6. Fontaines D.C. - Skinty Fia
7. Angel Olsen - Big Time
8. Momma - Household Name
9. Soccer Mommy - Sometimes, Forever
10. Widowspeak - The Jacket
11. Alex Cameron - Oxy Music
12. Thyla - Thyla
13. Spiritualized - Everything Was Beautiful
14. Wet Leg - Wet Leg
15. Say Sue Me - The Last Thing Left
16. Sharon Van Etten - We've Been Going About This All Wrong
17. Spoon - Lucifer On The Sofa
18. Porridge Radio - Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky
19. caroline - caroline
20. Kikagaku Moyo - Kumoyo Island
21. Andrew Bird - Inside Problems
22. Belle and Sebastian - A Bit of Previous
23. Oceanator - Nothing's Ever Fine
24. Mitski - Laurel Hell
25. Metric - Formentera
26. Gang of Youths - Angel in Realtime
27. Anaïs Mitchell - Anaïs Mitchell
28. Melody's Echo Chamber - Emotional Eternal
29. Florist - Florist
30. Day Wave - Pastlife
31. beabadoobee - Beatopia
32. SASAMI - Squeeze
33. Pinegrove - 11:11
34. Perfume Genius - Ugly Season
35. Sound of Ceres - Emerald Sea
36. Band of Horses - Things are Great
37. Kevin Morby - This is a Photograph
38. Animal Collective - Time Skiffs
39. Wilco - Cruel Country
40. Wallows - Tell Me That It's Over
41. Horsegirl - Versions of Modern Performance
42. Empath - Visitor
43. The Smile - A Light For Attracting Attention
44. Arcade Fire - WE
45. Pup - The Unraveling of PUPTheBand

Anticipated albums from/Need more listens before deciding:

1. The Mountain Goats
2. Nils Frahm
3. Kiwi Jr.
4. Julia Jacklin
5. She & Him
6. Camp Cope
7. Beach Bunny
8. Alvvays
9. Dry Cleaning
10. Monster Rally

I just love seeing Yumi Zouma get all that love. It's a great record.

Also I have a download of the Mountain Goats ready to go, but I'm kinda waiting till Friday...

 

[wokeupnew]

I just love seeing Yumi Zouma get all that love. It's a great record.

Also I have a download of the Mountain Goats ready to go, but I'm kinda waiting till Friday...

I've listened to the new tMG album twice so far. I like it. It feels like a return to some stompers that haven't existed since Beat The Champ. I'll need many more listens to digest it. But I'm very excited for it since when I think of both, Getting into Knives and Dark in Here, I think of two very sudued, mellow, long albums that don't have a lot of energy outside of a couple of songs. It's a stark transition.

 

[Bennnnn]

I've listened to the new tMG album twice so far. I like it. It feels like a return to some stompers that haven't existed since Beat The Champ. I'll need many more listens to digest it. But I'm very excited for it since when I think of both, Getting into Knives and Dark in Here, I think of two very sudued, mellow, long albums that don't have a lot of energy outside of a couple of songs. It's a stark transition.

I have been missing that from the last few albums, so I'm very interested to hear the new album. Both of the previous records have grown on me a lot. I even would probably put Getting Into Knives pretty high on my overall ranking. It just sounds really good. Dark In Here is an even more obscured, mellow album to me.

 

[musicjunkiegreg]

An RBF from earlier today - No Photographs is an alternative country/indie rock project from the Australian group Workhorse. Nothing Earth-skaing here, but an enjoyable listen nonetheless, so I thought I'd share

 

[Bluecloud777]

Katy J Pearson - Sound Of The Morning (Alternative)

Really liking this album, it's very enjoyable.

 

[Captainfog]

Lizzo was a slow burner, but after repeated listens I think it might be one if her best and one of the best of the year

 

[musicjunkiegreg]

RBF today and new-to-me artist with Louis Cole's upcoming new album Quality Over Opinion dropping in October. The lead single "I'm Tight" is fucking . I'm keeping this one on my radar.

 

[musicjunkiegreg]

Another RBF that dropped two weeks ago: the debut LP from Lumenette (aka Christine Byrd) titled All Around My Head. This is a gorgeous album full of atmosphere that blends dream pop, ahoegaze, and alternative/ethereal rock.